Carpet stretcher



Sept- 24, 1935. W. E. L EQPARD 2,015,227

CARPET STRETCHER Filed Deo. 1,5. 1934 Patented Sept. 24, 14935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARPET STRETCHER William E. Leopard, Jacksonville, Fla.

Application December 15, 1934, Serial No. 757,713

4 Claims.

1 -'-I'his invention relates to `devices for facilitating the laying of carpets and pertains particularly vto a stretching device of the Vtype known as a kneekcken Y 4"li The principal object ofthe present invention is lto provide a carpet stretcher which is designed to facilitate the stretching and holding of the carpet Vwhile a tack is being driventherethrough, with a minimum of effort on the part of the person laying the carpet and without danger of the carpet layer becoming injured thru use of the device over a long period.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carpet stretcher of the type designed to be forced or kicked forward with the knee, which in addition to having a padded bumper, is provided with an attached kneeling pad so that the knee of the user will be protected against in- Jury.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above described character having means forming a part of the head which is adjustable to control the depth of penetration into a carpet of the needles or tines carried by the head for engaging a carpet.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of the device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation showing the pads in section.

Figure 3 is-a section through a portion of the head on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring t the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts vthroughout the several views, the numeral I indicates generally the head of the present de- 50 Vice which is in the form of a plate which at its forward edge has a relatively wide cut out or recessed area 2. The under face of the plate is formed with a series of transverse channels 3 for the purpose of lightening the weight of the head and the ribs 4 which are thus formed are provided with a series of apertures in each of which issecured the rear shouldered end :of a tine or needle 5. The needles 5 are all disposed to extend forwardly and downwardly with 1respect to the under side of the head I, so :that 'f5 when the head is pushed forwardly from the rear edge `the points of the needles will engage a carpet `with which they may be in contact to facilitate the pulling or stretching ofthe carpet.

The head 1I at each side is provided on the back 10 with an upstanding boss B which is provided with a threaded passage 'I and the under face of the head opposite each boss 6 has a recess 8 therein. In each recess 8 is a circular body 9 which carries a threaded stem I which extends into 15 the passage I and this stem has a longitudinal channel II in which may be engaged the inner end of the set screw I2 which is threaded through the boss I in the manner illustrated so as to secure the stem I0 of the adjacent body 9 in a 20 desired adjusted position.

Attached to the head I adjacent the back edge or the edge opposite the recess 2, is a socket I 3 which extends in a plane parallel with the back surface of the head but is offset from the 25 plane of the latter as illustrated. This socket receives a handle I4 which at its rear end carries the plate I5 against the rear face of which abouts a pad I6. The pad I6 comprises a backing body Il which abuts the plate I5 and 30 is secured thereto by screws I8, a covering I9 and padding 2Il held in place by the covering against the backing I1.

Connected with the pad I 6 is a kneeling pad which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 35 2 I. This pad comprises a base plate 22 which is formed of a rigid material preferably steel or other suitable metal and which has an edge attached to the lower edge of the vertical plate I5 to which the pad I 6 is secured. On top of the 40 plate 22 at the rear of the pad IB is the padding 23 which may be of sponge rubber or in the form of a skin stuffed with hair or other suitable stuffing. This knee pad 2| lies with its bottom surface substantially in the same plane as the 45 points of the members 5 and the metal bottom plate 22 is designed to slide smoothly over the surface of the carpet with which the device may be used, to facilitate the movement of the device.

In the use of the present device, the disk limiting bodies 9 for the needles 5 are adjusted to project beyond the lower face of the head I the proper distance according to the thickness of the carpet to be laid. The device is then used by engaging the surface of the carpet with the needle-like teeth 5 and then forcing the entire device forwardly by striking the knee against the pad I 6. If at the same time the knee is lowered onto the pad 2| as the pad I6 is struck to force the device forward and to stretch the carpet, it will be seen that both the carpet and the stretcher may be conveniently held while the two hands may be freed for driving a tack through the carpet into the underlying floor. By providing the head plate I with the rearwardly extending recess 2, it will be apparent that a tack can be driven into the carpet beyond the line Where the carpet is engaged by certain of the prongs vor points 5 so that after the tack is driven in and the stretching device removed the carpet will not shift.

What is claimed isz- 1. A carpet stretching device, comprising an elongated body, a head carried at one end of the body, pointed elements carried by the head for engaging a carpet, a, pad member at the opposite end of the body from the head against which the knee may be forced, and a second pad adjacent said rst pad upon which the said knee may be supported.

2. A carpet stretcher, comprising an elongated member constituting a handle, a flat head at one end of the handle, a plurality of pointed elements carried by and projecting from one face of the head, a pad member at the opposite end of the handle from the head having a face extending in a plane transversely of the handle, and a kneeling pad secured to the first pad and lying in a plane at right angles to the face of the first pad 5 and adjacent the same.

3. A carpet stretching device, comprising an elongated member constituting a handle, a flat plate having one end of said handle secured to one face thereof adjacent an edge, the opposite 10 edge of the plate having a relatively deep recess therein, a plurality of pointed elements extending downwardly and forwardly from the opposite face of said plate from the handle, a pad membe'rrcarried by the handle at the end oppo- 15 site the plate and having a surface extending transversely of the handle, and a second flat pad secured to the rst pad and lying at right angles to the face thereof and in substantially the same plane as said head plate. 20

4. A tool, comprising an elongated body, a. head at one end of the body designed to facilitate the carrying out of certain work, a pad member at the opposite end of the body from the head and presenting a face occupying a plane perpendicu- 25 lar to the body, and a. second pad connected with the tool adjacent the first pad and having a face paralleling the said body and disposed perpendicularly to the said face of the first pad.

WILLIAM E. LEOPARD. 3U 

